I woke up today to the sweet smell of decomposing mangos. It’s a thick sweet smell.
We got up and showered (in cold cool water) and decided to check out the wood house. We went thru some books that the lady left behind. Interesting story about the house. We are beginning to pick up little bits and pieces of the story from items around the house and from things locals are telling us.
Apparently the lady that owned the house before us (Kathy) died after having a car accident. In the house. And her dog too! In a hammock in the house no less….. I wasn’t sure if it was the hammock we asked them to leave there or not, but I took it down just in case. It seemed….I dunno…Creepy!
It still looks exactly like this in 2011
Anyhow we were told that she moved down here in the late 80s and lived all thru the 90s. She was a ‘trust fund baby’ so she didn’t have to work. From what we can gather she watched movies (VCR) and read quite a few books. The books and movies are still in the house along with other 80s era items. Her dishes are still dirty in the sink and the calendar is stuck on september 2001 when she died.
It’s like the place has been lost in time. You can just imagine her hanging out, listening to Jimmy Buffet and driving her Jeep to the Calypso resturant with her dog. The dog in the picture we saw looks like a yellow lab or retriever. The locals still remember her even though she died 10 years ago. Not all of their memories are fond however and in fact it sounds like she had a drinking problem and anger issues. I suppose when you don’t have to work and have money your other issues can get magnified.
Looking toward the house from the acreage down below
I can’t help but think about that vivid dream I had. I have this strange feeling that Jack (Cassie’s dad) is helping us from the otherside. We did ask him to and it is definitely something he would do. He loved making deals and he liked to help people. I have a feeling that he met her and once he found out she was from Puerto Rico he saw an opportunity. The house feels just ‘recently’ vacated in a spiritual sense. I think he could have made a deal. She didn’t need the house anymore and she was ‘stuck’ between worlds. Jack would have offered to help her progress on the other side and ensured that his daughter could take the place.
And if that’s not what is going on, I think we have a good plot for a story (movie / book ). Puerto Rico is definitely enchanted. Sometimes it feels like we are in wonderland. We were driving down the road and saw a guy raking leaves in a Santa suit. No, seriously… A Santa suit in the middle of the tropical fricken jungle.
You can’t make this up
We’ve seen some strange stuff and decided we have to take pictures for you to believe it. Otherwise, you would never in your wildest imagination begin to understand the weird, movie-like setting of this island. It’s a cross between Lost, Alice in Wonderland, and Oz all rolled into one, except I don’t THINK we’re dreaming this.
With the book at Banana Dang in Rincon
One of the books we found in Kathy’s things was the book Jonathon Livingston Seagull. It’s the perfect book…and we read it in one sitting at the beach today.
Did you know anything about the history of the house and or owner?
Kind of different. Has it really been unused since she died?? Boy you really could write a book!!
The santa man is a local fixture from what I know. He sometimes sits on top of the abandoned water tower on the right side of 413 as you curve down the hill from Puntas to the lighthouse. I have never seen him, so thanks for the proof! Very interesting about the past owner…..
Wil
I think she was messing with your web server. Since she couldn’t mess with you there anymore, lol.
@BAK: We’ve got pictures of when the house was being built. I think people have stayed in the concrete house like what we are doing, but not in the main house.
@Wil: It’s funny that you’ve heard of the Santa Man. Totally new to us and completely unexpected. This santa wasn’t in Rincon though, he was in San German? Maybe there are more than just 1? LOL
@TNK: I think she was messing with the web server. It only makes sense that since we are visiting her place that she would visit ours? 😉
San German too? Well glad I mentioned the Rincon santa. It would be pretty weird to see more than one santa in the jungle in a week! HA!
sounds like the owner of our house Sandra. She fell down the stairs at casa verde on her (30th)? birthday and cracked her skull. died a few days later.
I saged our house and then put a few horseshoes around the house in her honor. (She owned Pintos are Us)
Wait a minute, she had a car accident in the house with a hammock?? and I thought our ghost was scary. How did that happen?
BTW, a few months ago we were down and had dinner at Ode to the Elephant. It was a rainy night and Ode is on the 3rd floor so you have a few sets of stairs to come down. the last set of wood stairs I slipped and fell all the way down, luckily on my butt. I swear my ghost Sandra pushed me backwards so I didn’t go down head first. Weird huh.. she died at Casa Verde falling down the steps.
Whoa! That’s really creepy! It’s always good to have friends in high, low and mysterious places! Sounds like Sandra is a good ghost to have on your side! I’m glad you were ok. We thought about Kathy (the lady from our house) a lot while we were there too!
From what we understand, she had a major drinking problem and was probably drinking and driving on the night she died. According to the stories, she crashed into a big almond tree near the house with her Jeep. One story said she then somehow made it home and then rested and soon died in the hammock from internal injuries. Another story was that she got into the accident, went to the hospital and they wanted her to stay longer but she checked herself out. She then went back to the house and died coming from the shower into the house from the internal injuries and her bad liver from drinking. We’re not sure what the “actual” story is, but that’s what we heard. Definitely makes you think about how different it would have been had she survived and continued living there. She was only 41 when she died!
PS We wanted to go to Ode to the Elephant but weren’t sure where it is located!?
Wow, what interesting stories! I found your blog by accident… I am originaly from PR and living in Aurora, CO for 4 years now. These are two different worlds! I still have problems trying to keep my plants alive in this dry weather. Although, NY’s weather is not any better and I lived there for 12 years. Any-hoo… I think your stories are very interesting… I would love to get to know you – not too many PRicans here… and it’s always so easy to relate to eachother when we find them! 🙂 so, e-mail me.
Take care…
Yailis
Ode is hard to find. Take the road behind Bungers and go up the hill about 500 feet or so. On the left is Rincon Apts (that’s not the name.. I forgot what it is), ayway, Ode is on the top floor.
Downstairs is a cute little wine bar and sitting area. It has the cutest dipping pool (exactly the size we are looking for). I get ideas everywhere, i have a feeling you will too!
As for Kathy, I asked my friend Carol who owns Pool Bar. She said Kathy had advanced liver desease.
Where exactly is your house? Is it where the old cockfight house was? We’re on Bummer Hill (aka Alfonzo Arezmende aka Miramar)